


A Mountain's Passing

by Gilrien



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Gen, Japanese Mythology & Folklore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 22:11:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5887255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gilrien/pseuds/Gilrien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One shot. Kenshin is traveling to have one more meeting with Katsura after the war. Weary and having gone without food for several days he is not sure whether he will make it to his destination. Until he meets a stranger in the woods out of shear luck. Though here's hoping his luck holds out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Mountain's Passing

The last of the large battles had piddled out. Now it was simply the skirmishes of politicians and bureaucrats that concerned most of the leaders of the rebellion. But he had not been a leader, and no one would wish to be seen alongside him now.

At present though, the mountains did not protest his passing. Nor did the animals mind so long as he walked softly enough. Being called a demon and a ghost for appearing and disappearing on site had some amount of truth, he thought, when he could move so no creature ran from him. He could hear clearly the birds and small rodents that were skittering around the area. The world had started to thaw, just in time for the passing of a war, but not fast enough.

Kenshin had been traveling for days. On little sleep and even less food, he was trying to get to a meeting with Kogoro Katsura. Though whether this in and of itself was a trap he did not know. After the Bakumatsu there was no telling who was on whose side. Hoping against hope to trust Katsura-dono was a fools errand, but one that if it was true, was worth almost dying in the wilderness for. A friendly face would be worth his life at this point.

Kenshin had stayed no place in particular. After the fall of the Shogunate there had been nothing more he had thought would be needed of him. Though perhaps the letter from Katsura was specifically in reference to another job that needed doing. Kenshin hoped not. He hoped it was just so he could see Katsura, talk, have a quiet conversation for once. For now he settled for talking to the wind and the trees, and the moment his voice sounded the animals scattered.

"It could perhaps be a little warmer for leaves that it could."

An indignant rustle replied.

"Oro? But the chill has not left the air yet that it has not."

More wind and creaking sounds.

"As you wish. At least take care of yourselves won't you?"

The wind grew still suddenly.

Kenshin pulled up abruptly. Perhaps it was just a large animal. Even so that would not be good to run into this far out. Fighting humans was different from fighting a wolf. Though not by much. But it was not that he had heard anything in particular. It was that the presence of the trees, the bushes, the new green tips on the branches, all seemed to be leaning toward something. The feeling was strange, as all his senses screamed a warning he knew all to well of someone tailing him, none of his other senses picked up the tell tale signs of a human. Nothing but a silent trail and still branches. The slopping scenery of the mountain could be seen through breaks in the trees, and even closer to him there were only a few places in the underbrush thick enough to hide a person. It was from one of these that an old woman with a kind face wandered out of.

Kenshin almost drew his blade by how quickly she seemed to appear. But when he saw her managed to remove his hand from the grip. Though not fast enough for her not to turn and see him their looking threateningly down at her.

"P-please don't hurt me!" She squeaked, "I'm just and old woman with no money! I only have herbs and mushrooms!"

Kenshin looked bewildered and then his expression softened, "No no no, This one is very sorry." Putting his hands up placatingly, "This one is just used to traveling the roads, that he is. Many bandits hide in wait, that they do. This one only carries a blade to protect this one."

A half lie, but one that seemed to put the old woman at ease. "So, you are not a robber yourself?"  
"No, This one is not," Kenshin smiled brightly, "This one is just a humble wanderer, This one apologizes for the fright, that they do."

The woman slowly seemed to calm and stop shaking. "Well, I supposed I should be used to rogue Samurai and bandits running around at this point. Though usually this pass isn't used by many, there isn't a village for 5 days in either direction."

The woman must have seen Kenshin's shoulders visibly slump, for she immediately added.  
"But if you are in need of a meal I was just headed home to cook!"

"No really, This one shouldn't hinder you further," Kenshin replied hurriedly, "This one would be glad to help you carry your baskets back, that they would."

"Oh nonsense!" The old woman replied, "I'm old but I'm not that old. Come on we both made a mistake lets laugh about it over a cup of tea."

Kenshin's resistance to the idea faded quickly. A warm fire and hot tea almost made him run after her. Instead, with all this human contact and being unused to hearing the sound of his own voice, Kenshin stood quietly as the woman turned to leave. It did not feel natural for him to be invited to someone's house. It did not feel right to perhaps put that person in danger simply with his mere presence. Then again they may be just far enough out into the woods...

"Hey!" The old woman had trudged back and stood in front of him, "At least say 'thank you'! I could have died of fright back there and I just invited you to dinner. I swear kids these days."

And with that she grabbed him by his kimono and dragged him down the road and off into the forest.

 

Most people would have called her house quaint, homey, or most likely ramshackle. But to Kenshin it was the most welcome site in about ten days. Most villages distrusted travelers that looked like samurai, and with the swords and his few belongings he definitely looked like one of the roaming Shogun warriors that were now displaced by a new government. But here this woman didn't even bother to think he might be a thief, or bandit. No she dragged him to her house and set him down with a cup of tea and a a bowl of rice. The stew she was brewing smelled to good for Kenshin's stomach to allow him to leave.

"My name is Aoki Hyakuma by the way," the woman said over her shoulder as she tended to the soup, "I don't suppose you still have a tongue left to tell me yours through the food?"

"Himura Kenshin," he stuttered.  
"Well Himura-san."

"Please Kenshin-san is just fine, this one is not but a lowly traveler."

"And this one is not but an old woman, but you don't see me running around being so familiar with people they just met!" The old woman huffed and turned but to her soup, "Young people."

Kenshin could not help but smile. He had met very many different kinds of people. And seen many more do terrible things. But this, so out of place and warm household was something he had forgotten existed, and strange and kindly people were something he rarely thought came without a catch.

"Here we are," She broke him from his thoughts again to put food on the table, "Warm stew, and don't worry I've lived long enough in the woods to know which plants can kill you and which ones just give you indigestion."

Kenshin smiled at here. She was probably as starved for conversation as he was. But there he was, lost in thought, and to selfish and afraid of his own voice to reply.

"This one owes you a great debt of gratitude, that this one does."

"Nonsense, seeing a nice looking human being is more than enough for what this old woman could ask," She replied, "Though I must have got really lucky that the gods sent me a nice pretty looking young man."

Kenshin blinked, her first sentence was oddly put, but the second made him go red a little. "Oro-"

"Oh don't look so confused, I bet you have a horde of young girls following you through every village."

No, not in this era. Not with so many dangerous soldiers out of a job. But up here she probably didn't know. That and most people did not think that he was a man at first glance.

"Not exactly," Kenshin replied, politely waiting for the woman to start eating her own food. "Most people with a sword are not received well these days."

"Though it still seems necessary that you carry one. Well the world is full of contradictions," The woman quickly clasped her hands together and then belted, "Time to dig in!"

Kenshin almost jumped at the exclamation and smiled waveringly at the woman's sudden enthusiasm. He tried to eat as politely as he could, even with the protest of his stomach. But with her rapid pace he doubted she noticed. Before long they had both finished their meals and were chatting over more tea.

"Well, didn't know there was a war. Must have been dreadful business. Wars are rarely a good idea." The woman said as she listened to Kenshin's tales of what was going on in the world outside of the mountain.

"It is." Said Kenshin quietly.

"So you've seen it?"

"It was hard not to that is was."

"No I mean you were there."

Kenshin stopped and wondered just how much this old woman had guessed from his meeting with her, to the patchwork of stories he had tried to detach from himself as much as possible. But lying directly wasn't something Kenshin was prone to doing. Even if it meant getting thrown out of the first nice warm bed he would have had in weeks.

"This one was." He said succinctly.

"You've got the eyes of it you know." She said and Kenshin looked guiltily toward her, "Oh come now stop it. Its easy to read tragedy in those eyes. It is easy to see it on someone else when you know it enough yourself. Besides, the way you talk you're beating yourself up over it enough. Its not my place to tell off anyone, even someone who might have been fancied a killer."

Kenshin sat there shocked, letting his tea cup list to one side in his hands.

"Oh and there I've gone and killed the conversation again," She smirked, "Far from me to blame anyone else for that."

She was... joking. Kenshin couldn't have spoken even if he had wanted to. He had never sat in the company of anyone who had known what he was and had them crack a joke. He squirmed, and tried to will his mouth to work, but could think of nothing to say. Then again perhaps having someone to listen was all anyone needed after being isolated for so long.

"Don't worry. I'm not throwing you out. You've been days without a bed and by the looks of it that's another punishment you're forcing yourself into too. You know life doesn't get any better unless you accept what happened and what will happen. You can't do much about the former, and you only know what can be done about the later when you get there.

Besides I've seen my fair share of terrible deeds and terrible people. And both of those things don't always overlap. The point is you look like you're trying to pay back whatever you did, and you know it might never be enough. But you're trying as oppose to whoever else is benefiting from their atrocities. The world is full of no win situations, and there are reasons to try to live your life as simply as possible."

Kenshin sat there baffled. It was as if she was reading his life from the expressions on his face alone. Or perhaps it was just the scar on his cheek? What would she read from that if given the chance? Actually he probably already knew. Because all of this were the hopes he had kept telling himself late at night. Any small thing to keep the nightmares at bay. But hearing it from another living person was entirely different. It sounded simple enough that you could say it to yourself. But hearing it now was more of a comfort than shouting it the world on top of the mountains.

"So," She finally said when she realized he still couldn't speak, "You going to tell me what you're hoping to do, following this road?"

"Yes Miss," He finally managed.

"Oooh miss, haven't heard that in centuries," She smirked and rested her head on her palm.

Kenshin smiled, "This one means it, that they do."

"Come of it," She said, but still kept smiling, "Go on tell me."

And he did. About leaving the last of the battles behind. About trying to pay back the families whose children he killed in battle. About Katsura and what he hoped was not at the end of this road. About how he was unsure if he could ever say no to an old friend, even if he wasn't sure how that friendship really should have turned out. About just wanting a house, maybe even one like this. And... even about Tomoe.

To her credit she listened quietly. Hyakuma didn't interrupt as she normally seemed to do throughout the rest of their conversations. Then again he wasn't withholding information this time. When he had finally finished she got up and got him another cup of tea. With her back to him she spoke once more.

"And if this friend of yours, Katsura, does ask you to kill again? Even for this new government you hoped would be better than the last?"

Kenshin paused and thought for a moment. It was a question he had been trying to avoid for the longest time. Mostly because the answer almost frightened him more than his nightmares. But the question being put to him directly made something click in his mind. It was as if just having to say the answer aloud resolved him all the more of what he truly wanted to do.

"This one will say no, that they will." Kenshin replied, in a voice more sure of anything he had ever said. "It has been to long, that is has. This one can not live like this as well as continue to follow their old path. This one can not."

The woman seemed satisfied and leaned back in her chair, "That is a good thing to hear. I wouldn't have thrown you out either way. It is hard to say know to a friend. Even one you suspect of not being honest. But hearing something like that at least gives me a little hope."

Kenshin was about to respond but with that she shooed him off to bed. Bringing out a second tatami that actually looked to be in good condition, even if it was well worn. His tatami was set out in the common room, but hers was in another area of the house set behind a curtain. Which was convenient, but only if you were expecting travelers. Despite this Kenshin fell asleep quite quickly. Though as he had grown accustomed to his sword still stayed by his side. And for the first time in a long time he fell into a silent, dreamless sleep.

 

Though he was not sure why Kenshin awoke with a start in the early hours of the morning grasping for his sword. He found the weapon where it always was, and stood quickly backing up in the process. His senses were screaming at him to fight. Again he did not draw the blade. Not when he had first seen the old woman, and not when he saw her now.

But now she looked far older. Gnarled like an old tree on the side of the mountain where the wind made the old pines stoop. Leaves, ferns, stones, almost every forest plant an feature made up her legs and torso. A mane of dark green hair fell from her head. But her expression was not malicious at all. It look wistfully at him from over at the table she was starting to sit at. Where she was drinking more tea like she had been earlier. Except that she drank if from a large bowl this time instead of a cup.

"I figured you'd wake the moment I changed," She said in the kindly, motherly voice of the old woman she had once been.

"And if I hadn't?" Kenshin asked, though he had not meant to be so direct this time.  
"Ah, there it is. That was why you were being so polite," The sound of her lilting made him glare, "That's why they thought you were a demon."

Kenshin faltered and his grip on the hilt of the katana loosened. "What do you mean?"

The woman paused to take a long drink from her bowl. Then set it down ever so lightly on the table.

"Yokai know their own. But you were something different weren't you? You were a human everyone thought was a demon. Yet here you are trying your best to mend what was done. I commend the effort."

She paused, then,  
"Its not something I think I could ever do."

Kenshin knew the folklore of most of the creatures that were supposed to haunt the woods, wells, and shores of Japan. Most people did and most villages still gave offerings to the gods to keep such creatures at bay. Although he doubted that it was as common now. Probably more common to hope for better crops to appease bands of thugs, or for some demon to do away with the thugs themselves.

More likely for them to leave offerings that perhaps one of the people he had killed in the war was still alive. Maybe that was why she hadn't bothered to eat him. Perhaps he was just as much a demon as she was.

A million questions, but instead he settled for, "What do you mean?"

Because when you're old, and no one wants you, and you're left alone for such a long time, just having someone to listen can be worth your life.

"It means what it is." She said a bit indignant, "I couldn't stop killing. Besides no one misses a few robbers, bandits, and over-proud samurai. Even on a less traveled road there are enough of the fleeing police that I can stay full for months."

Kenshin stiffened at the thought. But then he was in no position to tell someone else not to kill was he? He stopped himself before he opened his mouth. She probably had her reasons, just as he had. And while he was trying to leave that part of his life behind him, he still had to admit that offing a few bandits would, in the end, make his life easier. Disapprove as he might, he was not going to kill her over it, just as he would say no to Katsura in the end.

So instead he asked, "How long have you been here?"

Hyakuma sighed, motioned for him to sit down, "Ages. But that's not the tale we are both working on is it?"

Despite everything, Kenshin did go over and sit by the demon, the Yama uba, and sheath his sword. She did not attack him, nor make any sudden movements too. Probably out of mutual respect between monsters, he mused.

"What tale are we telling? You mentioned demons knowing there own? Is that what you were going to tell me?" He asked.

"What?" She laughed, "That you're a demon?! No child not hardly. You're as much a human as the last self righteous prick I ate. No, but the way people talked of you. The way they even believed that the killings were so impossible that no human could have pulled it off. The way they believed so much that it must be some sign. Now those are the makings of a demon. We are what people believe us to be to some extent aren't we? No matter what the circumstances of our birth.

Even so, why is being a demon so bad? I'm sure we don't kill any more people than people do, honestly. You're probably mistaking most of us for vengeful spirits." 

"But aren't you... weren't you made from-"

"I am made from the oldest parts of the mountain. And while I am a witch not all witches eat people, and neither do all yokai. We're mostly the excuse you give yourselves to be more scared of the dark than you are of the person sitting next to you. Though rest assured there are plenty of us you should be afraid of." She smiled wryly.

The way she said it, was she afraid of him? Or was it the other way around? Both?

"Anyway," She stood up, "I stand by what I said earlier. There are terrible deeds, and terrible people. The world is full of contradictions and instead of mulling over it we should probably just accept it, and try to actually work towards a better future. Even if that is just living simply, one person at a time."

Kenshin nodded, and smiled up at her as she stood and made the bowl disappear into thin air.  
"This one thanks you Hyakuma-dono."

"Hahahahahaha, oh this world, so wonderfully confusing." She giggled and cackled at the same time. "Rest up. Be assured I do only let my guests stay one night. No matter what."

And with that she vanished back into her own room.

 

A few hours later Kenshin was off down the road again. After thanking the kindly old woman for her hospitality, and helping her build a morning fire for the bath, he set out back to Edo. It was another chilly day. Though animals still skittered and made small noises as if the spring had already started. Hyakuma-dono waved him off down the road. 

"If that friend of yours gives you any trouble send him my way!" She shouted after him.

"Oro?! Aaaah," Kenshin replied, looking dumbstruck over his shoulder.

She just laughed heartily in response.

Walking on though he was sure of one thing; He did not want to kill again, and would not. No matter who asked him to.

**Author's Note:**

> A Yama Uba is a mountain witch from Japanese folklore. Though they are sometimes thought to be old women who were abandoned by their families who could not feed them and left to die in the woods, this is not the extent of the folklore.  
> There is also a Noh drama about a woman named Hyakuma who plays a Yama Uba in the drama. She then is traveling to do another show when she takes shelter with a stranger in the mountains. This stranger happens to be a real Yama Uba.


End file.
